Kai'ckul

Age of Wardens

Entry 29

23rd Day of the Reed, Year of the Crown

The memory of it still haunts me, though it should not. Martin Downings dead before our eyes. It was not my hand that dealt the blow, though it was mine that stayed the hand that could have reversed it.

But what difference is his death from those of the countless other villains who stood in our way? As we learned many times before so painstakingly, evil exists in the world, and evil allowed to linger is evil allowed to fester and spread. As the pirates before grew and destroyed all they touched until we were forced to end their plague, so with Downings — even to the very moment he made for Nilbud with a murderous gaze. Indeed, it is no story, for I remember it so; I can see the glint in his eye still, even from such a distance as I stood. He brought his end upon himself, and the world will not weep at his demise.

At any rate, we are enriched in the wake of such actions, and plans are set in motion that could bring great prosperity to both our fledgling monastery and the Paardhuis estate. Vital information being passed to those who can put it to use. Good will come from this.

I only hope that these new retainers of ours can handle themselves on their own, with us far away and underground, in these black, forsaken tunnels. And I daresay the others will not be pleased if they note that the braking lever has ceased to respond to my manipulations. I shall have to investigate further.

Kai supplied us with more information that Crea is absent without leave and that we should talk to Lieutenant Junt Kas who is in charge of finding those who break contract.

Junt tells us she left with four followers and that he will come with us to find her.

The falcon left asking Crea to meet us in Briarcliff- We travel for two weeks

Hammerdal reveals that there was a deck of cards in his masters shop with Elias’ face on one of the cards. Eldorin reveals that he found a card 200 years ago with his own face on it. Nilbud did some sleight of hand and made Elias’ card disappear and reappear from his pointy pointy ear.

Elias cast Divination “We will meet her at athfort”

Lightning strikes and fog dominate the weather. Strange hooded creature with goods in cart definitely an otherworldly individual. Group makes some trades.
Nilbud- Gears for Boots
Elias- Handkerchief for Purple Cloak
Elodrin- Flute for nice gloves and “A Favor” for a clean spell book
Hammerdal- No trade

The creature answered some questions- We found out that Crea has been alive as long as this creature and that she has many forms. Also found out that Moss is alive and that he will return with another.

Continue to travel- Hammerdal asks if anyone recognizes the symbol on his armor. Nilbud does…..but she is still silent

We travel to Carn Thad and Briarcliff- Pierre arrives with a note stating that Corin is waiting at the athfort.

Carn Thad- Small Dwaven Hill town- A New shrine to Celedon has been erected people in town claim to have seen the god/dragon as they actively worship at the shrine. Elias is clearly not welcome. Hammerdal goes to drink (Houndstooth Ale) and meets a low elf (Kera) who also claims to have seen the dagon/god (Its strange that an elf would be here in a dwarven town)

Eldoring meets with the Kennedy who was Douchy and lied about meeting with Celedon.

Travel to Briarcliff the Low elf town with the vine covered tower.
Eldorin tries to slum it by making himself look like a low elf. Fails
Hammerdal wants to buy weapons but is thrown out of shop. He goes to outskirts and drinks with some human traders. He also teaches Elias to curse “Fuck” mostly Elias uses it at the wrong times.

Nilbud- Goes around town listening and finds out that the Kennedy from Carn Thad has been visiting Briarcliff (very strange). She then climbs the tower after Eldorin is denied enterance. She finds 2 hig hquality daggers, a map drawn dividing up the surrounding countryside between Briarcliff and Can Thad. Two books, The Fall of Findalar and Dao of Rapiers.

We moved on to the athfort. The lands surrounding are filled wih a huge army belonging to Tumbledown.

Elias uses his influence to get safe passage through the army to the Athfort. Two days walking gets us there unchallenged.

We are greeted by the lord of the Athfort a dwarf named Triath Adrin. He is very hospitable and provides us with food and offers lodging for a price. Elias inquires about Crea and is told that she is the personal cohort of King Downing.

Elias casts locate person and finds that she is nearby.

Triath shows us a tunnel that his people have been digging to Inahold (400 miles south) for the past few centuries and tells us that they are close. We can go with them for a price.

Nilbud and Elias are confronted by Crea and her henchmen. She claims to have found Keres and indeed two twin girls accompany her. She seems offput by Elias USING Mediana’s name. Crea seeks Elias because she wants him to heal Martin Downings Arm. She has his hand which has not decayed and also his brother who is tied to a table nearby. “Galgoth” Shaid she would be able to heal Downing, but she has yet to be able to.

Crea retreats to the throne room and the group follows, Martin downing is there, guards, Crea and two girls. The session ended as the group entered the room.

Entry 28

13th Day of the Nymph, Year of the Crown
We returned to the Delta today, and find it a changed place. What seemed only loitering bandits and “tollmen” the last we passed this way is now a burgeoning town called by the Senians Sterrenbeld. We met an old acquaintance of Elias’ named Kai and pulled some information from him. It seems he had been lamed by Elias in a former day and was not pleased to see him. He knew more than he let on and we will need to take care with what we gain from him, though he seems to command some importance here. His is a conflicted soul. Elias does not seem to bear him ill will, for all his anger toward Elias. Time will tell.

25th Day of the Nymph, Year of the Crown
Nicto. A festering cess pit. Thieves, murderers, swindlers. I had no notion the lands of men held such foul settlements, and have still no notion of how business might be done in such a place. Also, that damned tea. Elias’ family groom is a beacon of nobility in a black place. We stay the night but will leave at first light.

26th Day of the Nymph, Year of the Crown
Damn that damned tea.

29th Day of the Nymph, Year of the Crown
I have composed a tune on the flute; it is a light song of springtime, of sunbeams cast through fluttering oak leaves fresh with rain. It is nothing great, though it pleases me to play it. I dare hope a lighter mood is a boon to a lately quiet band of travelers.

7th Day of the Bear, Year of the Crown
Strange to see the home of our friend Elias. To think that such a beginning could have been mine, had my soul been brought into this life instead! What sort of person might I have been? There was joy here once, I think, though now all is sorrow and bittersweet memories — the red hot swollen pain of injuries done long ago but left untreated. I yearn to help, to soothe the pain, but the Men of Kai’ckul are so often frightened by my ways that I fear to overstep.

18th Day of the Bear, Year of the Crown
Back to Sterrenbeld tomorrow. I have composed a new song: a haunting march that chills the bones. I call it “March of the Ghost Tea Soldiers”.

"Kai? Cool!"

as Khalo bids his farewells to the group, he took the Sword of Dexinth with him. Hammerdal was reluctant to part with it, but all agree its magic (or, non-magic) was hurting more than helping.

after a brief conversation with a dwarven shepherd (who inquired about the status of the curse of Arcaibh, and left confused), the party chose to follow Elias to Sussenia, as he sought answers about his past. he prayed for guidance from Mediena, who answered with “danger to Tyun from the acolytes of Wala.”

soon after entering Sussenian territory, the party came across a coastal trading port in a foreboding gray delta by the name of Skerrenbeld. it held most if not all the Pale Souls, who seemed to be waiting for…something. in the meantime, they served as the local garrison keeping order among the laborers and merchants who docked their ships (some which hailed from as far away as Terminus. one of few structures of note is The Rasher, a tavern and inn whose windows had been broken through in brawls so many times, they had been boarded up.

Hammerdal enters The Rasher, full of Pale Souls at about level 6. He buys them drinks and swaps war stories. Razhad attempts to gather info in the town, possibly about the Niks. Baronel shapeshifts and communicates with a falcon that is perched above The Rasher. this falcon works for Kai, a Pale Soul serving as quartermaster. he has a limp.

Kai exits The Rasher, and Elias confronts him. He knows who Elias is, and blames Elias for his current fate as quartermaster, that he hates. He recognizes the handkerchief that Elias wears. Due to Eldorin’s mind-reading magic, we know that he plans to report Elias’ presence to Tumbledown. Elias uses holy power to heal Kai’s leg. This act, however, is seen as threatening, and Pale Souls separate them. In the confusion, Razhad steals some of Elias’ papers. Kai retires to his shack near the docks.

The party convenes in The Rasher. We ask about Captain Lovisa. She runs the show, as far as the Pale Souls are concerned. She heads up the training with a man named Axel.

The party spends the night. All but Hammerdal and Eldorin camp outside. Hammerdal stays up late drinking and socializing (and might have puked once, but you didn’t see it), while Eldorin enjoys a quiet drink with fine food in a quiet room.

Rumors in town spoke of an entity that comes in the night…the Fogwalker…is it a ghost? a merchant? nobody knows for sure.

but that night…those that camp outside…maybe they’re dreaming…? but they seem to perceive a mist approaching…and clanking in the night. Was it the Fogwalker?

In the morning, the party decides to head north, to Nikto.

Nikto is a crowed, dirty city, roughly organized into (mostly) concentric rings of settlement. Several polluted canals flow through the city center. On the outskirts of the city, the prized horses of this country roam (semi) free. We take our horses to Elias’ family stable, run by a nice fellow named Camelo. The stable is empty; on hard times. But they happily accomodate us as a favor.

Entering the city is not as easy. The party saves against pickpockets. Razhad, Jethrael, and Hammerdal lose items. The party splits off. Hammerdal finds a buyer for his ant egg, Razhad buys paint to disguise his dragon. Hammerdal attempts to spectate bloodsport, but gets stabbed in the process. He goes back to the stable discouraged. Razhad, Jethrael, and Baronel search for a “shrunken head dealer,” thinking that a dealer in body parts might know where Elias’ hand ended up. Razhad finds a store. The merchant offers him tea, aggressively. Razhad refuses. The shop is full of body parts, including hands. The merchant offers tea again. Razhad drinks.

“She was asking about a hand. Your friend’s hand. Not fighting magic, but healing magic.” The shop keep describes the woman who has his hand. The hand was not like all of his other preserved hands…this hand did not decompose. Razhad is about to leave, and the shop keep says “farewell, Razhad!”

Razhad does an about face. He learns that the tea contains divination magic. He buys a teapot, tea, and canal water (dirty ,dirty canal water) so as to reproduce the divination magic.

Elias and Eldorin go to the local temple of Mediena, where Elias first received shelter. He wants to reconnect with the priest who sheltered him, Saroth. They find him in the temple. He receives them with grace, and they re-supply their reagents for spells. They inquire about the Wala fanatics. Saroth says they are not in Nikto, but they can find more information from the priestess at the Wala temple in Nikto, Maisie.

they visit the Wala temple, which has a beautiful pane of glass in the ceiling, an oculus. Maisie, a woman with long silver hair and rough robes, greets them. She is unaware of the actions of the Wala inquisitors in the south. She caresses Eldorin’s staff, aware of its magic.

Everyone meets back at the stables for the night. Baronel notices her Odinstone has begun vibrating in her pocket. She asks Eldorin about it…he knows only that it is magical. Razhad tells Elias that his hand is out there, somewhere. The woman he describes reminds Elias of one of his cohort, Kreia…who was obsessed with Keres, the god of death. He is assaulted by a vision, an incomplete vision…he takes psychic damage, and his stump throbs.

Elias says he thinks he needs to go home soon.

a Detect Magic spell on the teapot Razhad bought from the shop keep shows a latent, low, dull divination ability. no magic on the dirty, dirty canal water (but Razhad’s not convinced).

The next morning, Baronel’s Odinstone is now hovering above her head, centered above her forehead (chakra), and it follows her movement. It starts to orbit her head. While concerned, she puts in back in her pocket.

Jethrael tries the tea. After Razhad looks at the leaves, they seem to spell, (impossibly) in Thieve’s Cant, “Hurch gang. Killer.” Jethrael….knows somehow…this is a message about who killed his father. Eldorin leaves the stable to get more water from the well. He narrowly misses a crossbolt to the head. Unable to identify any immediate danger, but recognizing their safety in Nikto was not guaranteed, the party leaves for Fief Paardhuis.

On the way: Tea Party! Eldorin tries the tea, twice, to no effect. Baronel and Hammerdal also experience nothing. Trying to read his own fortune, Razhad makes out a single word in the tea leaves: “feather.”

Elias tries the tea, and the leaves spell “Ryon.” He is assaulted with another vision from his past. He remembers being in the marshes with his horse Honor, coming upon Ryon the goatherder, severely injured. Elias ran to him, compelled to heal. His horse cries, and he turns to see Kreia slitting Honor’s throat. She comes at him with a cleaver, takes his left hand, kills Ryon, and drops his handkerchief in front of Elias.

**

the party enters Elias’ family home. The grasses are overgrown, the fences are knocked down. this is an area that was recently abandoned. The lone house in this country is an oasis of cut grass, and in the gardens is Elias’ mother, Mara. She is…less than pleased to see him. The Pale Souls conscripted Elias’ brother Corrin in his place. They trashed the family farm when his mother couldn’t tell them where Elias was (about a month and a half ago).

“How can I help, mother?”

“You have shamed and disappointed me. How could you possibly help me? Our house is brought low, Elias. Father is working…where, God knows. Your sister Isabella, too. …sorry about your hand.”

The party helps Fief Paardhuis as it can. Hammerdal and Baronel cut the grass and mend the fences, Baronel enriches the land and encourages the plants to grow. Elias conjures 45lbs of food. Mara drinks Razhad’s tea, and the leaves spell: “Kreia.” Elias, spending 25 gold from the party, asks Mediena: “is Kreia in Salusa or in Sterrenbeld?” the answer: “she is in neither of the places that you look, and she’s not what you think she is.”

The next morning, Mara is gifted a root by Baronel, 12 gold from Elias, a valuable ancient coin from Eldorin, 2 gold from Jethrael.

The group heads back to Sterrenbeld…to kidnap Kai! He is the link.

After traveling, Elias goes to Kai’s shack. He is understandably more helpful to Elias, who healed his leg injury. “She’s definitely going to come looking for you,” he says. “She’s crazy…she’s Keres’ way of…something, I don’t know.” Kai knows she is in Tumbledown, but doesn’t know where Corrin is…the Pale Souls didn’t take him.

Elias and the party discuss what message to send Kreia in Tumbledown…should they tell her they’re coming for her? Or to have her come seek him out in Sterrenbeld?

Hammerdal is happy to be back in The Rasher, performing feats of strength for wagers of gold.

Therilor's Lens

“Damnable Men. Barely giving me the time to do what I need to do. Money this. Give us that. What are you up to old man? What am I up to?! slams the Flame of Therilor onto the table … I don’t know. I simply don’t know anymore. What did Finrodel and Zanzadar uncover? I’m here. This is where it should be, yes? Enough of this floundering. Focus, Maegwir. he turns to the sigil, as staring outward into your very eyes. He incants, pauses, reaches towards you, as if to grab your hands, and the starts back, eyes wide and glazed, a grin smacked across his face Out there?! he looks out towards the Bailey Of course, of course, of course! *he then tucks the Flame under one arm unceremoniously, then hurried in that direction and the sigil fades, flickering on a dying wick down into the table itself.

Maegwir appears to you, standing much as you are now and in deep thought. And then his voice assaults your ears as if blasted through an echoing chamber, yet his lips do not move: “Attuning myself to the Flame has been a task of inordinate will, and still it keeps its secrets from me. It does want to be here, that much is apparent, but the slow course of guidance for something which seems so…conscious…confounds me. At least here, I can be alone. But it seemed so certain,” he turns to gaze out one of the windows, “out there…” And the vision burns away like the last embers of last night’s fire.

Maegwir faces you suddenly, mere inches from your face and heaving, with eyes glassy and wide. Sweat pours down his face as he stares intently at you, incanting, stopping and a wave of fear washes over his visage. Then hurriedly he begins again, concentrating with all his energy as he reaches out towards your face and begins scrawling across it with his fingertips. He touches you but you feel nothing, and that combined with his dread and urgency unsettles you to the core. The vision winks and is gone, like a flame guttering out, and the stone begins to move.

Suddenly, you are in this room, but it’s quiet and clean. Maegwir stands before you, staring at you with wonder and a bit of fear. Words ripple across your brain without his lips moving, but it is his voice - as best you can recall, “It is aware. It’s mocking me! It’s…not only aware of me…it’s as if…” He looks around, as if somethings lurking over his shoulder, "No. It cannot be. We are alone. I have been over every inch of this-STOP laughing at me! You’re driving me mad, I swear. Yet, you’re right. You’re right! We don’t feel alone. You must be communing with someone…thing…else…who is it?! Please let it be of the age of Balentor, and not…Damrnil." Maegwir visibly shudders as he seems to feel a wind which snuffs out the burning image and deposits you back in the midst of the scene that was.

“Maegwir clutches you underneath his arm, carrying you with ease. His breath is labored and his eyes take in the room exactly as it was moments before, light to the east through the stained glass and suffocating darkness to the west. “Did I awaken him? But how?” His glassy eyes turn to you, staring deep into yours, “Did you? But why? Was that why they were bringing you ere here? But Damrnil lived. Did they trick me? Was this their plan? Was this your plan? Why do you mock me?! Talk to me…” And with that, a deep, echoing laugh enters your mind — and seems Maegwir hears it as well, he stops short of the south door, hand an inch from the iron ring handle — “I can talk to you, Elf. You truly wish for a conversation partner? I’m here. Waiting for you. Come. Come.” And with that, the laughter explodes in your consciousness once more, pained screams of unimaginable terror and pain harmonizing with it as the image blanks out to nothingness and return, staring downward at the now bare stonework, the sigils you just read etched on your mind.

“The sigilry on the bed seems to eat down into the rich velvety like scalding stones, drawing you with them down and inward. Then you are huddled, shivering, clutching a satchel to your sternum, muttering, “Answers, answers, where are my answers, I wanted ANSWERS!” And then a scream tears through your throat as the curtains encompassing the bed shred beneath claws and flutter outward as forms drag themselves up onto the cushioned mattress, slavering with dagger like tongues. “Io! Save me!” And then tone and space expand and then contract, drawing you to a pin point and then explode outward, now you’re running, back across the landing, pelting north toward the other door, sharp points digging into your solar plexus through your clutched bag."

“Are you Damrnil?” There, at the foot of the table sits Maegwir, staring across the at the black shuddering form. It chuckles, the trunk of the specter moving unsettlingly like a man, “I never expected one if your kind to bring this to me.” “I didn’t!” “Yet there it sits.” “Yes—but no—it would not speak to me—” “Until here? Of course not, why would it? It wants—” “To awaken Phondiel?” “To awaken. Me.” And with that, the two lunged across the table, the image instantly gone.

Maegwir stands before you, his back to you, facing upward at the black form of Damrnil, much as you were moments before. ‘You…were banished…by Perius himself…’ ‘Banished? Perius. No, you, his brilliant cousin, have awoken me. Now—’ one of the black limbs swings forth, scything a spiritual blade down towards the diminutive wizard. He parries, his Elven blade connecting with sudden sureness, ‘No! You must return—’ The blades, seemingly locked together come apart, knocking Maegwir from his footing, sliding towards the edge of the precipice, his satchel clattering before him and half of the Flame of Therilor suddenly revealed, burning hot and alive. ‘There you are…right, I must return. I shall…’ And the form leaned forward to grasp the crown. A sudden surge and Maegwir lurches forward, losing his purchase on the walkway, but clasps the artifact in his hand and then they both disappear, swallowed in the fall into blackness. The image filters away as your eyes readjust, all the sigils you had encountered shuddering and fluttering in your brain, asking to be recalled, employed, by you."

Everything around you changes, and suddenly you are there on that night, rain batters your forehead and lightning cracks and bangs through the purple, night sky. Maegwir stands before you, swollen up and shouting with all the force he can muster, but you can barely hear him above the violent wind. And there, upon his head, glows the Flame of Therilor, a ring of red rubies set in gold, pulsating furiously. The wind drops for a moment, Maegwir gesturing with battle-like intensity, “I, Maegwir, the Summoner, of Perius, Kin-Commander’s Circle of Elendil, I command you, of Once-Balentor, Darkhold of Arcaibh,” and the wind blasts up in your face suddenly, from the very ground, and the image is gone, as is the pattern which drew your attention.

Entry 27

11th Day of the Nymph, Year of the Crown

It is a bittersweet feeling ridding one’s ancestral keep of the curse of undeath. My ancestors, even Gwaehir himself, had been twisted by a foul spell — perhaps by the taint of Damrnil or more. Fighting their bodies, each moving like puppets on a string, is unsettling at best. But if striking them down one by one could release their souls from the prison of flesh, I should do it again and again.

I would like to believe that Damrnil is assuaged for now, or even at peace, but my heart warns me from such optimism. One thing was clear: it was beyond our power to defeat the magic that keeps him returning time and again. That were an old magic; a magic forgotten now in all but the darkest pits of Kai’ckul. Even if we may strike him down — when the sword passes not through him as a boat through fog — still he returns. I know my companions do not agree, but perhaps they do not understand. Our cause is too great. Only the fragment could appease him, and only by appeasing him could we hope to fight another day. I can only hope it does not cause greater trouble down the road.

But there is another concern: for the first time since House Ollentor our trail has run cold. We had hoped to find a trace of Maegwir’s path here but instead we have naught but memories of a distant struggle now long completed.

And so, for now, we go to the north, to the home of Elias. He hopes to uncover the answers to questions that trouble him to his bones. If we can help, we will. He has earned that, to be sure. A good and noble man, if I have known one.

Yes: we will help Elias if we can, but what then? Where does Kai’ckul blow us next?

Regression through time and a flash of numerous visions
1. Magwir- “What did Finrodel and Zanzadar Uncover”
2. Damernil appears to Magwir who is shaking, “It wants to awaken me”
3. “Banished by Perius” Magwir and Damernil fight, Magwir jump into sea with the flame.

Suddenly we can all read and understand perfectly the sigils.

Group climbed down after enemies retreated from turning

Attached by giant sea creatures that look like crocodiles but could not possibly be them because this is salt water. The appiritions return and press the attack.

Sword of Decsinth neutralizes their powers of incorporeality, Nilbud stunned and pummeled him until he vanished, but reappeared soon thereafter.

Eldorin gave him the dragon scale after he asked for the flame (which we don’t have, but Nilbud found a shard of in the ground where Magwir jumped into the sea.

Nilbud gave shard to Eldorin

After the next defeat the group attempts to make sigils to re-lock Damernil away. The group splits. Eldorin wards area with sigils saying GWIHIRBANISHDAMERNIL while simultaneously Khalo complete the ward “KHALO PROTECTS BALANTOR”

Once this is complete swirling sigils rise into the air and banishes the darkness.

We explore more of the keep, remains of boners are found in the main hall along with a large silver platter, which Hammerdal takes.

Discussion of what to do next, the group agrees to go help Elias find out what’s going on in Sussenia. In the process to also keep our ears open for other items of power and eventually to find Fondiel.

Khalo leaves for a time to deliver funds to oversee the completion and running of the hermitage.
Nilbud takes a vow of silence moving forward, but asks the group to look out for and ask about Uncle Moss in their travels.
All have inspiration except- Tyler Moss, Riley and Alex

Entry 26

We pass back through the painted walls of the Portal Chamber and I find I do not want to leave.

For nigh four hundred years I have walked the land of Kai’ckul and now I wonder that I have not come to this place before. Why others have not done so. But to leave it abandoned… it now seems self-evident that to cleanse this place is the righteous course, but perhaps more importantly: it seems the honorable course. Gwaehir would not wish it to remain a place of darkness, nor would the other ancestors buried here wish to remain cursed in a corrupted un-life.

There was a sword in the tomb — in the hands of a body I can only assume was, upon a time, Gwaehir. It is a worrisome thing, with an edge that could cut the shadow from a tree. Razhad has taken it; this seems suitable enough for now, but I am not quite satisfied that it will not corrupt. If it can be of use so be it, but if aught goes amiss we shall disarm him and I shall bear it myself to a place of safe disposal. It seems clear it is my birthright, in any case.

I leave the Death Mask where it belongs, in the tomb of Gwaehir, and the riches we shall recover after our final task: though it should not be necessary by all the laws of Kai’ckul, we go now to destroy Damrnil utterly. I dare not think what it means that he has returned in whatever fashion. I can but hope it is only the ministrations of Maegwir and no lingering effect of the Flame — not linked to the quake nor the Awakening nor the rise of creatures unseen for an Age.

Arcaib complete.....almost

Notes- Tyler J, please post the text of the visions below.

The group awoke from their long night of rest and Elias seeing Nilbuds suffering asked Mediana for help and found that he could use the goddess’ power to cure Nilbud of the mental affliction that had haunted her for so long.

Eldorin decoded the runes running along the door in the cellar room. Magwir Resear Balantor

Vision-1

Once the runes a spoken the door begins to move and exposed what appeared to be a burial chamber. After walking in and out a few times Eldorin proves to the guardians that he is heir to this keep by shedding some of his blood on the tomb. The guardians seem sated, but as Nilbiud and Hammerdal try to lift the lid off the sarcophagus the statues reached out touched them. Each resisted the magical effect, but soon the dead began to rise and all the company had to face the same effect, Razhad and Khalo failed and were teleported outside.

The remainder of the company vanquished the boners that had take the place of Eldorin’s ancestors. The grave contained a large amount of ancient mint and a sword that Razhad lifted while the party was distracted by healing. A gold death mask was left behind with the gold and resealed in the tomb.

The party quickly returned to the third floor landing and made their way into the master bedroom. There were more slathering and pointy toothed undead. We murderized them while having fun jumping on the bed.

The next room contained many wardrobes and trunks and one desk. We searched this room while Eldorin stayed behind and decoded some more runes. One of the wardrobes contained Magwirs Shield Guardian. Hammerdals sword made him inert and the group took him apart and placed his pieces into many different containers. We also found many clothes. Razhad noticed that one wardrobe had been moved often and discovered a hidden door that went out to the bridge

By this time Eldorin decoded the latests runes " Eledil Citadel Razed"

Vision- 2

The company then bravely pushed many boners off of the bridge and heard a strange voice and saw a shadowy figure hovering on the island at the end of the bridge

“You returned, hand it over”

Suddenly two portals of fire burst to life and 4 soldiers emitting ethereal vapors charged the group.

Entry 25

[from the painted walls of the Portal Chamber at Balentor, pieced together with the help of Baranel’s mending and his own translation]

Gwaehir went to the South to seek for the daughter of Io called Califax, the South Wind. He ranged far and wide and found her in a low, dark place. “Daughter of Io,” quoth he, “all who are wise know that you command the winds of warmth. Pray tell me how I may serve you, that I may gain from your wisdom?”

Thus spake Califax: “Sing for me a song of cold, of sadness and solitude, for I know naught here but the sighs of contentment.” This was Gwaehir prepared to do, for he had learned from Andreth. He sang for her a tune of such sadness that Califax let slip her first tears, and thus was born the rains of Spring.

Gwaehir went to the East to seek for the daughter of Io called Almalis, the East Wind. He ranged far and wide and found her in a quiet place. “Daughter of Io,” quoth he, “all who are wise know that you command the playful breezes that tickle our hair. Pray tell me how I may serve you, that I may gain from your wisdom?”

Thus spake Almalis: “Make me laugh, for I have known nothing but boredom here in this quiet place.” This was Gwaehir prepared to do, for he had traveled with Cordus, who taught to him the many ways of words. He told to Almalis the greatest of Cordus’ jokes and Almalis rolled through the grasses in rippling waves.

Gwaehir went to the North to seek for the daughter of Io called Haliel, the North Wind. He ranged far and wide and found her in a high place. “Daughter of Io,” quoth he, “all who are wise know that you command the winds of cold. Pray tell me how I may serve you, that I may gain from your wisdom?”

Thus spake Haliel: “Bring me warmth, for all that I know is cold and dark.” This was Gwaehir prepared to do, for he had studied with great Arinoth. He formed the tiniest spark in his hand, and with it lit a torch for Haliel to carry; with this she made lights in the sky and sent bolts of lightning through the air.

Gwaehir went to the West to seek for the daughter of Io called Golguthel, the West Wind. He ranged far and wide and found her in a rocky, battered place. “Daughter of Io,” quoth he, “all who are wise know that you command the brutal winds of storm. Pray tell me how I may serve you, that I may gain from your wisdom?”

Thus spake Golguthel: “Build for me a palace to the sea, that all may look upon this work and wonder at the terrible beauty of wind and wave.” This was Gwaehir most glad to do. He summoned to him great Tolanath and together did they build the halls of Balentor-upon-the-sea, and all the great windows of the palace did look out upon the sea in appreciation of it great beauty, and Golguthel was pleased.

With all the gifts of the Four Daughters of Io, Gwaehir built at his port a forest of ships and set for himself the greatest of all his journeys. He took the greatest of all his ships, called Lorieth, and bade his sons to each depart in different directions, and for the youngest, Galador to stay and rule in his stead. Gwaehir would return when he had found what he sought. To his people he bade solace and joy, and he left, into the West.

As the years passed, his sons returned one by one: Galarion, Gwaehad, Gwaerion, and Galendril. Each spoke of wonders of the distant ends of Kai’ckul. And all knew that one day Gwaehir would return with the greatest tale of all.